24 March 2021 | Annabel Hudson
An extreme test for many people, but also for many businesses. Some industries have suffered, but others have seen unprecedented growth, especially those who hold an online presence. Let’s take a look at exactly how you can ensure your online business stays competitive and is prepared for the post-pandemic world.
Prepare for reviews to return to search engines
Many search engine review features are temporarily inactive due to COVID-19, but they still continue to be an incredibly important aspect of business success. So now is the perfect time to consider ways your business could generate more positive reviews when life returns to normal. There are various approaches to doing so. Initially, make sure you are emailing your customers with updates about your company’s plan when exiting lockdown/the pandemic, this will keep customers informed and, in the loop, consequently keeping them happy and you on their radar! Additionally, think about how you can encourage your customers to leave online reviews once physical premises re-open (if applicable), this could be through supplying business cards with your web address during every purchase, or leaving a sign on the door reminding customers as they exit. Customer reviews are an excellent method of growing your business, so make sure you are doing all you can to build your review page.
Expand your social presence
If your business has never considered using social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn, then now is a great time to explore these avenues. Both customers and business owners have much more time on their hands, therefore are spending more time exploring and experimenting with brands. Look into the which social media platforms are best for your organisation and where you are likely to find a large proportion of your target customers. This can be such an easy and effective way to grow your brand message, just make sure to do your research and planning!
Improve your mobile site experience
Google has stated that 53% of visits to mobile sites are abandoned if they take more than 2.5 seconds to load. This is exactly why you must ensure your mobile page speed is within acceptable limits. Not only is a fast mobile page speed important for search engine ranking, but also to retain leads once they have clicked on your website. Additionally, due to working from home, which is likely to continue for many post-pandemic, consumers are spending much more time online, therefore ensuring your mobile experience is up to scratch will be hugely beneficial for creating a good reputation – even when the pandemic is over.
Conduct market research
When entering the post pandemic world, it is very important to ask yourself a number of questions; does this business strategy still work? Are customers still interested in the same products and services? What is our new risk management approach? These questions are all crucial because for many organisations, they are completely unaware of what to expect during life after COVID-19. The attitudes and demands of consumers have changed in drastic ways throughout the pandemic, therefore through conducting market research, your company can gain an understanding of what exactly your customers want coming out of this situation.
Here at Pogo Studio we specialise in website and app development, if you would like help preparing your website for the post-pandemic world, contact us today.